Death and the Lady
"Death and the Lady" is the third episode of Miami Vice's fourth season. The episode premiered on October 16, 1987. Summary Accusations of a murder on screen prompt Crockett & Tubbs to investigate the film's director. Plot The 11th Continental Erotic Film Festival is going on, and the top film, Death and the Lady's director, Milton Glantz (Paul Guilfoyle) is being honored when a deranged man, Tulane Knox (Michael David Morrison) screams that the end scene is a murder, and is escorted out by Gina & Trudy. At OCB, Knox continues to claim the girl at the end of the movie was a real, not fake murder. Crockett found his rap sheet with a ton of obscenity arrests and on parole. He claims the girl in the movie named Blondie was brought into the scene by Knox and a lighting person with a wolf mask on, and then Glantz excused everyone except the three, and the man in the wolf mask killed Blondie for real. Crockett believes the whole thing is a publicity stunt to get more ticket sales. Trudy finds info on Glantz that he did more classic-style films before delving into porn, Gina mentions he called it "Erotic Performance Art". While pouring over evidence found in a cocaine lab bust, they find a kitten in the box and Crockett gives it to Gina to replace a lost cat of hers. Tubbs wants to pursue Knox' claim about the murder and so does Castillo, because the mayor has ties to some of Glantz' paintings. Crockett goes to see Glantz, who says Blondie's name is Lori Swann, and she's around the festival promoting the movie, and during their discussion Glantz paints an erotic picture, then puts it to the torch with no comment. Tubbs speaks to the crew of the film but no one speaks about the ending. Crockett & Tubbs go to a sex bar to track down Lori Swann, and Crockett finds her on the other side of the glass. Crockett & Tubbs go see Knox with their info and he still claims Glantz killed her. Crockett looks at the film and says the girl on film is dead, but needs proof, and goes to a porn archivist who finds Swann made two films with Swann, the other called Twins and the two girls in the movie, one is Blondie, look alike. Crockett goes back to the club and finds out the other girl is named "Blaize". Gina & Trudy go to a modeling agency and find the other girl's real name is Amy Ryder and they check her locker and find strange photos. Crockett (as Burnett) goes to Amy's apartment and finds her sister Jill (Penelope Ann Miller who says she just stepped out and had to go. Crockett & Tubbs visit Glantz at a party and asks him about the fact that the cameraman wasn't present during the final scene, and he shows them the person that did the still scene, Margot Frank, who says it was "fun" to play someone raped and then "murdered", then Glantz eagerly "stabs" the lady in a cake celebrating his movie. Crockett looks over some still photos of the movie on the St. Vitus Dance, while listening to an interview of Glantz about the use of violence in his movies, and he says the public has an appetite for violence and that his movies walk the fine line between reality and fiction. Tubbs stops by and Crockett reviews the edge numbers on the stills and finds someone is lying, and Crockett goes back to see Jill who said Amy moved out a couple of months ago to do the movie with Glantz but didn't say anymore so they take her & her father to OCB. Tubbs asks the coroner to pull records on unclaimed DB's with stabbing as cause of death. Jill says Amy had terminal cancer and that Glantz paid her a lot of money to pay for her dad's medical problems, but he paid in cash. Crockett & Tubbs arrest Glantz. One of the bodies was Amy Ryder's, turned up in an alley 11 days after the film completed. The DA (Miguel Ferrer) doesn't want to press charges because the evidence is circumstantial and the jury could be sympathetic to Amy's illness, besides the fact Glantz wasn't present when the killing occurred. Glantz gloats to Crockett about getting off on the charge, then after driving through the Miami night, stops by Glantz' place and talks about Glantz committing the "perfect murder" and asks him if he thinks violence is chic, artistic, and fun, then Crockett shows him what violence is, by punching him around, then leaves. Notes *This episode was pre-empted one week due to the 1987 National League Championship Series, which NBC was airing. *Paul Guilfoyle would appear again in Season 5's "Victims of Circumstance", and currently plays Capt. Jim Brass on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. *Kelly Lynch would go on to play alongside Patrick Swayze (of the A&E series The Beast) in Road House. Music *"Vet For The Insane" by Fields of the Nephilim (Opening sequence when film is played) *"The Story Never Ends" by Naked Prey (Crockett & Tubbs go to sex bar) *"Pleasure, Little Treasure" by Depeche Mode (Crockett & Tubbs at Glantz' party) *"The Edge of Town" by The Truth (Crockett drives through the night) Quotes * Castillo: "What's that doing here?" Crockett: "Evidence!" (referring to the kitten found in the evidence box) *"Crockett, you're fixated on dead people, are you a necrophiliac?" Glanzer Category:Miami Vice Season 4 Episodes